Toy figures and dolls are well known in the art and have been provided in virtually endless variety for many years. Among the many types of toy figures and dolls known in art, many include operative mechanisms which cause the toy figure or doll to simulate certain basic functions such as eating, walking, crawling, crying and the like. One type of function simulating toy figure and doll which has received substantial attention in the art may be generally described as a "wetting" toy figure or doll.
While toy figures and dolls having a wetting action have been provided in a considerable variety, all may be generally understood to include the same general apparatus. This general apparatus typically includes some mechanism for intake of a liquid, usually water, together with an internal reservoir within the toy figure or doll for storing a quantity of the water intake and a mechanism for controlled discharge of the liquid from the internal reservoir to simulate the wetting action.
For the most part, wetting dolls which generally resemble human infants form the most numerous and common type of wetting doll. However, toy figures which provide a simulated wetting feature are known in the art which often resemble animal figures.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,028 issued to Liao sets forth a FLUID RELEASING AND SOUND GENERATING TOY having a body generally resembling a dog within which a container for receiving a fluid and maintaining the fluid under pressure is supported within the doll body. An electric valve is operatively coupled to the pressurized container for releasing liquid therefrom. A sound generating unit and a receiving circuit cooperate with a controller unit to facilitate discharge of the pressurized liquid from the container through operation of the valve. The valve operation is triggered by controller action responsive to a pressure sensitive switch disposed in the nose of the toy figure The controller further operates the sound generating unit to provide sound in accompaniment to the release of pressurized liquid.
Typical wetting dolls are found in many patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,907,139 issued to Rekettye which sets forth a WEEPING, CRYING AND WETTING DOLL having a doll having a body, appendages and head generally resembling a human infant. The head defines a mouth having a passage extending inwardly therefrom which provides liquid communication with the doll interior. A reservoir is disposed within the doll head for receiving and holding liquid. The reservoir is further coupled to a discharge orifice at the lower end of the doll torso. The holding mechanism within the doll is operative to provide discharge of liquid through the discharge orifice in the doll torso when the doll is positioned in a prone position.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,919 issued to Baulard-Cogan sets forth ANIMATED OBJECTS SUCH AS DOLLS, FIGURED PERSONAGES AND THE LIKE having a deformable flexible envelope mounted on a rigid casing filling the greater part of the head and trunk portions of the doll. The mouth of the doll is moved by actuating means causing nursing of the doll and permitting absorption and excretion of liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,675 issued to Guan sets forth DOLLS THAT SIMULATE PHYSIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS having a doll defining a doll body and head. The head includes a mouth aperture coupled to a plurality of conductive tubes extending inwardly through the doll head to a reservoir supported with the doll body. The reservoir receives liquid from the mouth and deforms when pressure is applied to the doll body causing water to be discharged from the reservoir to a discharged tube simulating wetting function.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,338 issued to Lyons et al sets forth a SOUND EMITTING AND WETTING DOLL having a toy doll body and head which in turn includes a mouth opening adapted to receive a simulated nursing bottle. An internal bellows mechanism is configured to produce a sound device which creates a burping sound when the doll back is patted. The operation of the sound producing device also causes liquid to be emitted from the doll body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,965 issued to Mayem sets forth an INTERACTIVE DOLL SYSTEM which includes both liquid handling elements for receiving liquid through the doll mouth in one position and dispensing liquid through the eyes when the doll is in a second position. Alternatively, water is dispensed through an anal opening of the doll when the doll is in a third position. An electronic assembly within the doll senses the position or attitude and motion of the doll as well as the feeding thereof for creating a range of sounds in response thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,750 issued to Pracas sets forth a DOLL HAVING MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED FUNCTIONS capable of simulating physiological functions of a human body in response to an applied magnetic field. The doll includes an internal reservoir which may be filled with fluid through the doll mouth. The internal reservoir which has an outlet which is closeable by a closure member. The closure member is movable from a closed position to an open position in which the outlet is opened in response to an applied magnetic field. A cooperating cot is utilized which includes a magnet operative to energize or activate the closure member when the doll is placed on the cot. The proximate position of the doll closure member and the magnetic with the cot causes the closure member to open and allows the doll to wet.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,229 issued to Sherman et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,443,200 issued to Murphy and U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,808 issued to Bell set forth various toilet training devices having similar structures to the above described wetting dolls and generally related to the art to which the present invention pertains.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,162 issued to Blaine sets forth a TRAINING MANIKIN FOR MEDICAL INSTRUCTION while U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,696 issued to Sapkus et al sets forth a DOLL HAVING MEANS FOR CHANGING FACIAL EXPRESSION UPON TURNING OF HEAD.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved their respective arts and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for improved, more interesting and amusing toy figures having drinking and wetting functions.